Join the fun this holiday season as Penn Hills Library displays gingerbread houses created by children, families, friends and individuals of all ages. November 26 thru December 22, 2018 Prizes will be awarded in each group. Contest Rules and Application Penn Hills Library 1037 Stotler Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15235 (412) 795-3507 www.pennhillslibrary.org
General Information We invite you to participate in our third annual Penn Hills Library Gingerbread House Display and Competition by building your own gingerbread-style house. All houses will be on display at the Library from November 26 through December 22 There is no fee to enter the contest. Houses should be designed in the tradition of gingerbread houses but do not have to be 100% edible. Houses may be constructed with a variety or combination of safe-to-eat and artificial materials. If icing is used on the house it should be royal icing (recipe attached). We cannot accept structures made with egg or butter icings as they quickly turn rancid and soften causing the structure to deteriorate. The structure should be constructed on a sturdy base of heavy cardboard, foam core or wood not to exceed 15 X 15. Cardboard bases should be covered with aluminum foil to prevent moisture from soaking into the base. The base should extend no more than 6 inches beyond the the perimeter of the primary structure. The structure should not exceed 2 ft. in height. We recommend small to medium size single houses rather than scenes. Single structures with minimal yards are more easily viewed in our display. No battery or electrical components should be included in your structure. Do not use anything on your house that requires refrigeration (such as Jello, etc.).
Prize Information: Prizes will be awarded within the various categories based on the number of entrants. Two judges from the Penn Hills Arts Association and popular vote will determine the winning entries. The criteria for judging are: Originality and Creativity Overall Appearance and Appeal Difficulty Awarded Categories: Important Dates: Precision and Neatness Soundness of structure and adherence to size and construction guidelines Every child s entry will be tangibly acknowledged Children (Pre-school through High School) Families Individual Adults 18 years and Older Registration deadline ASAP but no later than November 26 Delivery of projects on or before November 26 Judging: Weekend of December 8-9 Projects will be on display through December 22 Projects should be picked up by the participants no later than December 28 th before 5pm Notice: The library reserves the right to remove any entry that deteriorates or falls apart. The contestant will be notified if this happens.
Royal Icing Recipe Makes about 2 ½ cups Mix Together: 1lb powdered sugar 3 tbsp. meringue powder ½ tsp. cream of tartar Add: 3 ½ oz. water (slightly less than ½ cup) Beat until icing forms stiff peaks and will hold a sharp line when knife is drawn through. Keep covered with damp cloth to keep icing from drying out. Work with a small amount of icing at a time. Store unused icing in a tightly closed container. *Note: Meringue powdered can be found at cake decorating or craft stores. Other recipes for Royal Icing are available on the internet; but if you are using icing to hold your project together, you MUST use Royal Icing.
ENTRY FORM: Name: Contact Name: (If different) Phone Number: Day Evening Email address: Address: Name/Title of House (As you would like it listed) Category: Children Age Grade Family Adult Individuals 18 years and Older Other group: Please describe
Entry Identification Form Attach this form before building your structure Tape or glue this form to the underside of the base of your entry so that the information is visible. It is best to attach this form before building your structure. (Please print) NAME OF INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP TO BE LISTED ON SIGN: NAME/TITLE OF HOUSE: CATEGORY: CONTACT NAME (WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED) CONTACT PHONE (WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED)